The present invention relates to an improved dodger used for trolling for fish.
Trolling attractors have been used by fishermen for some time to increase their catch. A typical prior art set up is shown in FIG. 1. A main fishing line 102 extends from a rod and reel (not shown), the line being attached to the front of a lead weight 104. A short length of heavy leader 106 is attached to the rear of the lead weight 104 and to the front of an attractor (“flasher”) 110. A lighter trailing leader 112 is attached at its leading end to the rear of the attractor 110 and at its trailing end to a baited hook or lure 114.
Attractors are of two basic types: flashers and dodgers. In both cases their function is to reflect light and attract fish, but their actions are fundamentally different.
Nearly all flasher type attractors, such as that shown in FIG. 1, are comprised of a sturdy spine, made of hard wire or woven wire, to which are attached a plurality of devises. Blades are attached to the devises and revolve around the spine during trolling. Flasher type attractors typically proceed along a straight path and at a constant speed through the water. Such flashers typically impart no significant action to the lure.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,456 describes a flasher type attractor which imparts an action to the flasher itself, but not to the lure. The flasher type attractor described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,456 has no spine; the main line is attached directly to one of several openings in the front of the single blade and the trailing leader attached to the rear. The flasher type attractor described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,456 imparts a barrel-like rotating motion to the flasher, the path of the flasher being similar to the stripe on a barber pole or candy cane.
FIG. 2 depicts the motion of the flasher of U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,456 during trolling. The flasher 210 is towed by a leader 206, and is a attached to a trailing leader 212 which tows a lure or baited hook 214. The flasher 210 has a barrel-like rotation, moving along spiral path P210 in the direction of the arrow PB (path of the towing boat), from a first outer position where the flasher is designated as 210 to a second outer position where the flasher is designated as 210′. See also FIG. 8B. The lure 214 moves through the water at a substantially constant velocity and along a substantially straight path.
Prior art dodger type attractors do not rotate. Their motion is a wig-wag, arc-like motion back and forth across the straight path of the main fishing line. FIG. 3 shows the motion of a typical prior art dodger 310 being towed by a leader 306 and attached to a trailing leader 312 which tows a lure or baited hook 314. The dodger moves back and forth from a first outer position where the dodger is designated as 310 to a second outer position where the dodger is designated as 310′. The path of motion P310 of the trailing leader attached to the rear of the dodger is sinusoidal, i.e., a series of esses (see FIG. 8C), and the lure 314 attached to the trailing leader 312 is always moving forward through the water at a substantially constant velocity and along a substantially straight path. The only lure action that can be achieved with the traditional dodger is one of repeatedly turning the lure slightly left, then slightly right, and this slight action only occurs when using a very short trailing leader which most fishermen do not like.